


Into The Waiting Fog

by Sherwhotreksings



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance, Sort Of Fluff, Underworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-30
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-05-04 02:56:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5317838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sherwhotreksings/pseuds/Sherwhotreksings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers for post 5x10. Killian is in the underworld and an old face comes to help Emma.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Liam

**Author's Note:**

> Whelp. I did it. I official can't do anything but write christmas stories and underworld stories. Keep a look out for both Killian's and Emma's POV on this with extended scenes.

Most people in the underworld are droopy, slumped over and dragging wherever the go, too tired to do anything but exist in this new reality. That’s why it is so odd to see her, tromping around, fighting the dead and the demons with her massive sword, golden hair flying around her in a halo. She clearly isn’t meant to be here, doesn’t have that defeated quality yet. 

“What are you doing here, lass? You aren’t dead.” He leans against a post on the dock of the river.

“I’m looking for someone.” The young woman’s hand reaches up to grasp at something around her neck. 

“There are many someones here. You’re going to have to be more specific if you want my help.” The strange man straightens up and saunters over to her. 

“You’re going to help me? Us? Why?” She holds up her jagged sword threateningly.

He throws up his hands. “Hold on there, love. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In my former life I was in the navy, and it would bring me much joy to help someone once more.” 

She lowers the sword. “He should be here. The sea is his favorite place and this is the closest thing to it. The man I’m looking for has dark brown shaggy hair, slightly ginger scruff, and a scar right here.” She brushes her finger across her cheek, almost like she was remembering running her own hand across it. From her face, her hand travels down the long chain around her neck and he finally sees what she had been holding.

A ring. His ring. The ring his brother took when he died. 

“I know the man you are looking for.” He eyes her traveling companions. “But your friends need to stay here.” He motions with his head for her to follow him. 

“If you trick me, I’ll run you through with my sword.” She stays a few steps behind him, cautious.

“I assure you this is no trick, lass. I truly am taking you to your Love.” He leads her farther and farther down the dock, fog swirling around them to the point where they can only see a few feet at a time.

“My love? Why do you assume he’s my love.”

“The ring around your neck. It’s a man’s ring and one of status. In my land you never take a ring like that unless you killed them or you loved them and they died. So unless you came here to kill him again, I presumed you came to rescue him. Why do you love him that much?”

“He saved me. When I thought no one could help me get rid of the darkness, he did it. He’s always believed in me, and for that I owe him my life many times over.” She hesitates and he can tell it isn’t the whole truth.

“That’s it? There’s a story there, I can tell. Much more to that answer.” He raises an eyebrow. 

“Not one that I’d share with a stranger. Maybe some other time.” 

She’s a feisty one. Although he doesn’t particularly like the implications of her reply.

“I’m no stranger.”

“Who are you?”

“It’s not a matter of who I am, but who I was. I am no one now. Here we are.” 

They come to a stop in front of an old ship that’s partially falling apart. The blackened hull dips dangerously low into the murky grey water. 

“You can come on board, but stay on the main deck until I give the all clear, I have to make sure it’s okay with him.”

“What give you the right to decide whether I can see him right away?” She scowls at him.

He doesn’t answer. He can see Killian’s silhouette, leaning over the bow of the deck and he slows his movements. He climbs the stairs to where Killian stands, steps creaking underneath his feet.

“Who’s there?” Killian whirls around, a dagger in his hand slicing at the air.

“It’s just me brother.” He holds out his hand as a warning.

“Liam.” Killian’s face relaxes as he breathes out his brother’s name. “I was worried you were-” His eyes go wide and the dagger clatters to the ground. “Emma?” 

Liam jumps around, cursing that she didn’t stay behind like he asked.

“Are you dead? How did you? Why would you curse yourself to this literal hell?” Killian hesitantly takes a step closer. 

“I’m not dead, Killy.” Emma gasps out. “I came to rescue you.” 

They collide in the biggest hug Liam has ever seen. His brother loves this Emma very much. 

It’s all so surreal. His little brother grew up and found someone who loves him and that he loves back. His little brother is so in love with this girl that he gave her his ring. His little brother found a girl that is so in love with him that she fought her way into the underworld to get back to him. He smiles just a little over their reunion and how they’re completely focused on each other. 

“We better get back to everyone else.” Liam points back into the dark fog. 

“Everyone else?” Killian questions.

“The town came with.” Emma chuckles quietly. 

“Really?” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Yeah, let’s go.” She pulls on his hand gently.

“You go ahead, I’ll meet you on the dock. I just have to talk to Liam.”  He smiles at her until she’s swallowed by the fog creeping up onto the deck and then he drops it. “Why did you let her come here? Liam this is the worst mistake you’ve ever made. You know what happens to people who come down here and try to leave with a soul. You should have had her turn around. Told her you didn’t know who I was. Anything but lead her to me!” He spits outs vehemently. “She shouldn’t have come down here. She should’ve left me to rot for what I’ve done to her,” this he says quietly, voice broken.

“Emma loves you. I don’t know much about her, but I do know that she loves you with her entire being. As for that bloody mess about letting you rot. You deserve everything and more. You’ve worked so hard to become the man who would die to rid the world of the Dark One. She sees that and if the savior -yes I know who she is now- thinks you can be forgiven, then you can. Marry her Killian. She’s the one.” Liam nudges him towards the fog covered stairs. “Go on. Don’t keep her waiting forever. Although I have a feeling she would for you.” 

“You’re not coming?” He sounds disappointed.

“You know they won’t let both of us escape.” He gives Killian a half smile and then nods with a raised eyebrow to the fog now only a foot away from them. “I’ll miss you little brother.” 

“I love you, Liam.” Killian steps into the fog to find Emma.

Yes. Killian Jones will find peace when this is all over. 


	2. Killian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup. This hurt. A lot. Yup.

He tightens the grip around the dagger in his hand, transferring his weight to his right arm, so he can draw a smooth line down the bow of the ship with his hook. He likes the way the wet wood cuts under his metal. 

_ Killian Jones is dead _

It looks right in the black wood, like it has always been there. It might have been. 

He noticed the fog a little bit ago, or was it a long bit ago. Time moves differently here; if you get lost in your thoughts you could lose days without even realizing it. That’s why he came up here, he remembers, to watch the fog roll across the water. It’s never happened before, but he’s only been here a few days, a week at most...maybe a month. He can’t keep track. Hell isn’t as bad as he thought it would be, or maybe it is. He can handle the demons that come occasionally. His dagger wounds them, so they leave, but they always come back. It’s his thoughts that get him. He never got a chance to apologize to Emma for all the horrible things he said to her, for manipulating her, for threatening her family, for all the crap he rained down on Storybrooke...for Merlin. He slams his hand down onto the railing. He hates himself for everything he did to Emma. The small flash of relief that flashed in her eyes when he was run through with Excalibur before realization hit that he was dying, or dead already. Her sobs are the only sound he can recall from above; those devastated little gasps and wails. Each one cuts deeper than the blade in his hand.

The fog laps at the hull of the boat, curling up, up, up, before sinking back down. Wasn’t it just on the horizon?

The steps behind him creak and he jumps around, cutting the air with his dagger. “Who’s there?”

“It’s just me brother.” The man holds out his hand as a warning.

“Liam.” Killian’s face relaxes as he breathes out his brother’s name. “I was worried you were-” His eyes go wide and the dagger clatters to the ground as he sees a figure step out of the fog and onto the steps leading up to the deck he is standing on. “Emma? Are you dead? How did you? Why would you curse yourself to this literal hell?” Killian hesitantly takes a step closer. 

“I’m not dead, Killy.” Emma gasps out. “I came to rescue you.”

Why would she come here just to rescue him. He doesn’t deserve it, and yet here she is.  

They collide in the biggest hug they’ve had to date, Emma dropping a sword, Excalibur he realizes. 

They stare at each other, Emma taking the sight of him in, and he tries to avoid eye contact. Her finger brushes across the scar on his cheek. A small smile plays across her lips before it disappears again. 

“Don’t ever do that to me again, Killian Jones.” She pulls his head down to her and kisses him roughly. “You should have this back,” she says after they’ve explored each others mouths, holding out Liam’s ring. 

He shakes his head, no.

“You’ve died twice in the time that you gave it to me. I won’t have you die a third time because you aren’t wearing it.” She goes to slip it around his neck, but he stops her with a hand on her wrist.

Maybe it’s because he’s actually stared death in the face, or because dying has made him brazen, but he still refuses.

“You’re all I need now. It’s time for the ring to keep you safe because as long as I have you, I don’t need a ring to keep my alive.” 

“We better get back to everyone else.” Liam points back into the dark fog, breaking their moment. 

“Everyone else?” Killian questions. Everyone else as in Storybrooke?

“The town came with.” Emma chuckles quietly. 

“Really?” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Yeah, let’s go.” She pulls on his hand gently, bending down to retrieve Excalibur. “I want to get you back to the land of the living.”

“You go ahead, I’ll meet you on the dock. I just have to talk to Liam.”  He smiles at her until she’s swallowed by the fog creeping up onto the deck and then he drops it. “Why did you let her come here? Liam this is the worst mistake you’ve ever made. You know what happens to people who come down here and try to leave with a soul. You should have had her turn around. Told her you didn’t know who I was. Anything but lead her to me!” He spits outs vehemently. “She shouldn’t have come down here. She should’ve left me to rot for what I’ve done to her,” this he says quietly, voice broken.

“Emma loves you. I don’t know much about her, but I do know that she loves you with her entire being. As for that bloody mess about letting you rot. You deserve everything and more. You’ve worked so hard to become the man who would die to rid the world of the Dark One. She sees that and if the savior -yes I know who she is now- thinks you can be forgiven, then you can. Marry her Killian. She’s the one.” Liam nudges him towards the fog covered stairs. “Go on. Don’t keep her waiting forever. Although I have a feeling she would for you.” 

“You’re not coming?” He sounds disappointed.

“You know they won’t let both of us escape.” He gives Killian a half smile and then nods with a raised eyebrow to the fog now only a foot away from them. “I’ll miss you little brother.”

“I love you, Liam.” Killian steps into the fog to find Emma. 


	3. Emma

The underworld isn’t as hard to get into as she thought it would be. With Excalibur and Killian’s sword training, she makes it easily through the demons hounding after her, stopping to rest once she, and the rest of Storybrooke, make it to the shore.  

“What are you doing here, lass? You aren’t dead.” A mysterious man leans against a post on the dock of the river.

“I’m looking for someone.” She reaches up to grasp Killian’s ring. It’s the only thing of his she actually has.

“There are many someones here. You’re going to have to be more specific if you want my help.” The strange man straightens up and saunters over to her. 

He has some sort of casual arrogance that reminds her faintly of Killian. They hold themselves the same. Her heart pangs as she is reminded of the way he was before this mess happened. 

“You’re going to help me? Us? Why?” She holds up the sword threateningly. After all, she has no clue who this soul is.

He throws up his hands. “Hold on there, love. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In my former life I was in the navy, and it would bring me much joy to help someone once more.” 

Killian used to call her love. She hasn’t heard it in weeks. This spirit could know that and might be using it against her. This could all be a load of crap, but if something goes wrong, one stab with Excalibur will send him deeper into the pit. 

She lowers the sword. “He should be here. The sea is his favorite place and this is the closest thing to it. The man I’m looking for has dark brown shaggy hair, slightly ginger scruff, and a scar right here.” She brushes her finger across her cheek, remembering the last time she ran her thumb across it; the face he make when she kissed him there for the first time. Her hand drops down to Killian’s ring instinctively when she sees the man’s eye flick to it.

“I know the man you are looking for.” He eyes the citizens of Storybrooke. “But your friends need to stay here.” He motions with his head for her to follow him. 

“If you trick me, I’ll run you through with my sword.” She stays a few steps behind him, still cautious even though she believes he will help her. He has no reason not to. He doesn’t even know who she is.

“I assure you this is no trick, lass. I truly am taking you to your Love.” He leads her farther and farther down the dock, fog swirling around them to the point where they can only see a few feet at a time.

“My love? Why do you assume he’s my love.” Her eyes narrow at his blanket statement.

“The ring around your neck. It’s a man’s ring and one of status. In my land you never take a ring like that unless you killed them or you loved them and they died. So unless you came here to kill him again, I presumed you came to rescue him. Why do you love him that much?”

He’s got her pegged, although she might kill him again herself for putting her through this for a second time. “He saved me. When I thought no one could help me get rid of the darkness, he did it. He’s always believed in me, and for that I owe him my life many times over.” She hesitates it’s not the whole truth and he knows it.

“That’s it? There’s a story there, I can tell. Much more to that answer.” He raises an eyebrow. 

“Not one that I’d share with a stranger. Maybe some other time,” she says sarcastically. Who knows, she might be back here at some point, and if that happens she’ll gladly tell this man the story of Killian Jones and Emma Swan, the saviors turned Dark Ones turned saviors… savior… he’s not back yet.

“I’m no stranger.”

If he’s not a stranger, then who is he? “Who are you?”

“It’s not a matter of who I am, but who I was. I am no one now. Here we are.” 

They come to a stop in front of an old ship that’s partially falling apart. The blackened hull dips dangerously low into the murky grey water. 

“You can come on board, but stay on the main deck until I give the all clear, I have to make sure it’s okay with him.”

“What give you the right to decide whether I can see him right away?” She scowls at him, but for whatever reason, believes him. 

He doesn’t answer. 

She can see Killian’s silhouette, leaning over the bow of the deck and she has to stop herself from running to him.

The soul climbs the stairs as quietly as he can, but they still creak under his weight. She follows after him once he is shrouded in the fog. She can hear Killian shouting and worried that he might be in danger, she runs up the steps.

“Liam.” Killian’s face relaxes as he breathes out his brother’s name.

Liam? He’s Killian’s brother. Technically it’s his ring she’s wearing around her neck. Suddenly it all makes sense, how he knew where Killian was, his willingness to help her despite having no proof she wasn’t there to harm him, how he knew she’s in love with him.

“I was worried you were-” Killian’s eyes go wide and the dagger clatters to the ground as he sees a Emma in the fog. “Emma? Are you dead? How did you? Why would you curse yourself to this literal hell?” He hesitantly takes a step closer. 

“I’m not dead, Killy.” Emma gasps out, holding back tears. “I came to rescue you.” 

She would die if it meant being with him again.Everyone leaves her, but he didn’t, he wasn’t going to, except she forced his hand, and now she isn’t going to leave him.  

They collide in the biggest hug they’ve had to date, Emma dropping Excalibur at their feet. Her hand over the place where his heart would normally beat is cold.

They stare at each other, Emma taking the sight of him in, and he tries to avoid eye contact. Her finger brushes across the scar on his cheek. A small smile plays across her lips before it disappears again. He looks hollow, eyes sunken in, even though he’s been here for two, maybe three days. Everything blurred together after he died. 

“Don’t ever do that to me again, Killian Jones.” She pulls his head down to her and kisses him roughly. “You should have this back,” she says after they’ve explored each other’s mouths, holding out Liam’s ring. He’s died too many times for her liking in the short time since she’s had it.

He shakes his head, no.

“You’ve died twice already, and I won’t have you die a third time because you aren’t wearing it.” She goes to slip it around his neck, but he stops her with a hand on her wrist.

She’ll slip it into his pocket when he isn’t paying attention if he stops her again because he can be so stubborn and she doesn’t need protection when she’s never died. 

“You’re all I need now. It’s time for the ring to keep you safe because as long as I have you, I don’t need a ring to keep my alive.” 

His statement makes her stop her worrying. He’s right. It doesn’t matter what he said to her before, she will keep him safe as long as she lives. Even if she dies, she’ll keep him safe from here.

“We better get back to everyone else.” Liam points back into the dark fog, breaking their moment. 

“Everyone else?” Killian questions. 

“The town came with.” Emma chuckles quietly. Mary Margaret and David protested heavily when she said she wanted to do this alone.

“Really?” His smile doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Yeah, let’s go.” She pulls on his hand gently, bending down to retrieve Excalibur. “I want to get you back to the land of the living.”

Back to where she can feel his heartbeat. 

“You go ahead, I’ll meet you on the dock. I just have to talk to Liam.”  He smiles at her, raising an eyebrow in the direction of the dock.

She follows his command, hesitantly, she doesn’t really want to let him out of her sight, but the brothers need this moment. She stops at the first post sticking up out of the water. She can barely see a foot in front of her, so she nervously raises her sword. 

She thinks she might have liked Liam. He would’ve fit in well with their family. All his charm and confidence, or what she imagines he had. The underworld zaps people; makes them a shell of who they were. Killian is going to have trouble with this, she can just feel it. Speaking of Killian, shouldn’t he be back by now? He’s been talking for minutes, or hours. Trying to keep the time straight makes her head hurt. She should probably make her way back to him.

It’s just then that the man in question steps into her shallow view, startling her. He looks sad, but relieved. She holds out her hand and he interlocks their fingers.

  
Yes. Killian Jones will find peace after all this is over.


End file.
